Brake beam



amasz Charles-B. Busch, Orange, N. 1., assignor to Buffalo Brake Beam Company, New Yin-k. N. Y., a

' corporation of New York Application December 3i, 1937, Serial No. 182,724.

10 Claims. (CL 188-222) -s1-A ms;-- P A'r -mrfoFFica The present invention relates to brake beams for=railway car trucks which are preferably of a-composite or structural nature, and my prior application Serial No. 130,881, filed March 15, 1937, discloses improvements in brake beams of a type to which the present invention is particularly adapted although not necessarily so. It is preferred; as in the invention covered by said application, that the beam of the instant invention be guided on the slde frames of a railway car-truck.

An object of the present invention is to provide a brake beam of economical design and construction, to which end, preferably it -is made of separate commercial rolled sections of steel to constitute the main elements for providing built up compression and tension members, the

beam being preferably of truss type. 1 When the desired lengths of metallic sections for the beam are completely assembled and permanently united, as is desired, the beam becomes a unit, and preferably the beam is so constructed that the brake heads are removable without disturbing the body of the brake beam when it is in operative position.

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and then claimed with reference to the accompanying drawings showing a preferred Jembodiment of the invention, and wherein Fig. l is a'plan of substantially half of an ultimate compression member;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan of a little more than half of an ultimate tension member;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 5 is a plan of united end portions of the compression and tension members shown in the preceding views;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line 66, Fig. 5, in the direction'of the arrows;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a wear piece or socket to beflxed-to each end of the beam:

- Fig. 8 is a plan, parts in broken lines, of a complete brakev beam according to the present invention;

Fig. 9 is a front-elevation thereof; and Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-section on the line HI -i,- Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows. l

The improved brake beam preferably is built up of sections-and hence is a structural beam intended to form a unit. In Figs. 1 to inclusive the end halves of the main elements and are shown only, as the other end halves would be similarly constructed.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a section I I of preferably rolled or forged carbon steel, and such section preferably ispartially cambered to correspond more or less with the ultimate camber of the compression member of the brake beam. This section II for the compression member preferably is of T-shape in cross-section, to provide vertical flanges I2, one above and the other below a horizontal flange 13, thereby forming the head of the section. Preferably the flange I3 is thicker than the flanges l2, as shown.

Referringto Figs. 8 and 4, the bowed struc-. tural element M to provide the ultimate .tension member is preferably of rectangular or oblong cross section, or it may be round or other cross section. When made oblong in section it is pre ferred to twist the ultimate tension member I4- for the greater part of its length so as to dispose a broad middle portion l5 vertically thereof when the same is built into a brake beam. Such tension member section I4 is also preferably of rolled or forged steel of the same length overall as the compression member. However, the actual length along the tension member itself preferably is greater than that of the compression member. By forming the ultimate tension memher I 4 with the broad middle portion l5, great strength vertically is obtained to correspond more or less with the vertical strength of the compression member.

Again referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the compression member H is provided with an extension i6 from the horizontal flange i3 thereof, and both said flange and the extension ii are preferably flat. It will be seen that the extension I6 is beyond the vertical flanges l2, as the latter have been either left off or cut off from the structural element to constitute the compression member. In that edge of the extension member l6 which is opposite to the flanges I2, the outer extremity of the. extension 46 is preferably provided with an angular notch IT. This notch will .provide a terminal projection I8in oifset relation to the front edge of the horizontal flange l3 and a lateral shoulder l9 inwardly of the inner end of the projection It, for a purpose now to be 50 ultimate brake beam, and hence the twisted portion of the member I4 is located between similar extensions, such as 20, at opposite ends of said member. A lateral projection 2i extends rearwardly from each end of the member I4 and is intended to fit into the notch I! of Fig. 1, in-

the manner illustrated in Fig. 5. When the members H and I4 are united so as to provide a brake beam unit, the same will have the required degree of strength at its end portions. Preferably the thickness of the member M and each extension 20 coincides with the thickness of the flange I3 of the ultimate compression member. I

Now referring to Fig. 5, it will be observed that inasmuch as the extensions l6 and 20 are parallel with each other when they are brought edge to edge they may be united together at the joint 22 between them, preferably by electric welding, although soldering or brazing may be found of ample strength. However, when the surfaces are electrically welded together by butt welding it is preferred that the weld joint be formed by what is specifically known as spot welding. In so permanently uniting corresponding extensions l6 and 20 at both ends of the beam a single unit is produced in which the upper and lower surfaces of the extensions are flat and desirably parallel with each other. At the same time the projection 2| is seated in the notch H and constitutes an interlock between the ultimate compression and tension members with a view to more safely resisting endwise stresses tending to disrupt the union between the two members.

After the ends of the tension and compression members have been permanently united it is preferred that wear pieces 23, such as shown in Fig. 7, be applied to the ends of the structure so far completed. Each such wear piece is composed of very hard metal to take up wear and is preferably in the shape of a cap or thimble forming a complete surrounding socket for each terminal portion of the beam. The outer ends of the members 23 serving to protect the terminals of the beam against wear inasmuch as they extend over the united beam extensions I6, 20, no wear on the-latter can take place, as said members or Wear pieces 23 form the surfaces which actually travel upon the surfaces of the guides which are provided on the side frames for supporting and guiding the beam. Inasmuch as the preferred end portions of the beam formed by the united extensions I6, 20 are flat, it is desirable that each cap or thimble be of oblong cross-section so as to fit snugly onto each end portion. As shown in Figs. '7 and 10, each cap or thimble 23 is provided with a top wall 24 and a bottom wall 25, in parallel relation, opposite side walls 26 and a terminal or end wall 21 transversely of the walls 24, 25 and 26. It is preferred that the end wall 21 be formed on an arc of a circle of large radius as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, so that if the terminal surfaces of the ends of the beam are also of arcuate shape the end walls 21 will correspond therewith.

In Fig. 8 a strut 28 is shown in broken lines as tightly fitted to the middle portions of the compression and tension members I l and- M, respectively, the forward end of the strut being first engaged with the middle portion of the tension member and then the compression member is subjected to the preferred additional cambering effect brought about by the power applied to the strut 28 in forcing it into its ultimate central position transversely of the beam. Brake heads 29, shown in broken lines, then have jaws or brackets engaged with the preferably flat end extensions of the beam and then the heads are brought to the position shown so that they will be located transversely of the beam and adjacent to the compression and tension members. Preferably this will leave guiding portions extended beyond the brake heads for guiding, the beam upon the side frames of a truck, if the brake beam is to be constructed for that purpose, as is preferred, such guiding portions including wear material protecting the united terminal portions l6," of the beam against wear. Before applying the brake heads to the beam rivet holes 30 are drilled preferably through the ends of the beam and the holes of each pair of rivet holes are preferably arranged in staggered relation. In

.such case the jaws or brackets of the brake heads would have rivet holes to match the holes 30 so that, when the rivets are applied, those of each pair will be in staggered relation.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the brake beam structure described and shown without departing from the spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. A brake beam, including a compression member and a tension member, each formed as a complete section, the corresponding ends of the members permanently united and providing, where united, flat end portions on the beam for receiving brake heads, such flat united end portions extending beyond the points of location of the brake heads to guide the beam on car truck frames.

2. A brake beam, including a preformed metallic section for providing a compression member, a preformed metallic section for providing a tension member, both joined together at corresponding ends, said ends constituting flat end portions, and hard metal wear pieces shaped as sleeves applied over such ends atpoints beyond the locations for the brake heads.

3. A brake beam, including a compression member and a tension member, each preformed as a separate metallic section, means interlocking and permanently uniting the ends of the sections beyond the points to receive brake heads,

and hard metal wear pieces applied onto such ends outwardly beyond such points to protect them against wearon car truck side frames.

4. A brake beam, including a compression member and a tension member, each preformed as a separate metallic section, and means interlocking and permanently uniting the ends of the sections, such means comprising welded joints inwardly and longitudinally of the terminals of such sections and interlocking elements beyond the outer ends of such joints.

5. A brake beam, including a. compression member and a tension member, each preformed as a separate metallic section, and means interlocking and permanently uniting the ends of the sections edge to edge breadthwise of the beam,

7. A brake beam, including a. preformed compression member section, a preformed tension member section, the ends of the sections being substantially fiat and lying edgewise in the same plane, and means for interengaging the ends of the members in the said plane, comprising a lateral projection on the adjoining edge of one of the members and a notch in the adjoining edge of the other member to receive the projection.

'8. A brake beam, including a preformed compression member section, a preformed tension member section, the ends of the sections being substantially flat and lying edgewise in the same plane, and means for interengaging the ends of the members in the said plane, comprising 8, lateral projection on the adjoining edge of one of the members and a notch in the adjoining edge 10. A preformed metallic section of T-shape 1 in cross section to ultimately provide a compresslon member of a brake beam, and having means at each end to interengage the ends of a tension member, the head of the T being shorter than the compression member and such means being 15 located outwardly beyond the head of the T.

CHARLES R. BUSCH. 

